The NYC Workforce Drop with NYCETC’s Gregory J. Morris

"Don’t ask what’s needed of you. Find the need and fulfill it.” That idea has shaped Degan Mercado Leopold’s career across social impact, public service, diversity recruiting, philanthropy, politics, and now her work as Chief Partnerships Officer at the New York Jobs CEO Council. In this episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, Greg Morris sits down with Degan to talk about what it takes to build a...

What does it take to build a neighborhood people want to be part of? In this episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, Greg Morris sits down with Jeffrey LeFrancois, Executive Director of the Meatpacking District Management Association, for a wide-ranging conversation about civic life, economic development, housing, public space, politics, and the many ways New Yorkers build power by showing up. Jeffrey...

“A room and a job to pay for it.” That line has shaped The Doe Fund’s work for nearly 40 years, and in this episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, Greg Morris sits down with Jennifer Mitchell , President and CEO of The Doe Fund , to talk about why that idea still matters and what it looks like in practice today. Jen traces the path that brought her to this work: growing up in a family grounded in serv...

Greg sits down with Angie Kamath , Dean of the NYU School of Professional Studies , for a conversation about career pivots, higher education, workforce systems, and what it really means to keep growing in a changing economy. Angie brings a career path that spans the private sector, nonprofit leadership, New York City government, CUNY, and NYU, and with it, a deeply practical view of how people mov...

Greg sits down with Ayesha George , Executive Director of STRIVE New York ,  for a conversation about leadership, second chances, career pathways, and the deeply human work of helping New Yorkers move toward economic mobility. Ayesha shares how her journey began in Michigan, where athletics opened a door to college and helped shape the discipline, competitiveness, and resilience that continue to g...

Greg sits down with Miquela Craytor , Senior Advisor (former interim Executive Director, Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation (SBIDC), founder of Craytor Strategies , for a conversation about planning, power, environmental justice, industrial policy, and what it takes to build real economic opportunity in New York City. Miquela reflects on her path from Oregon to New York, from wa...

Andrew Rigie , Executive Director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance , joins Greg Morris for a conversation about restaurants, nightlife, small business survival, and what really happens behind the scenes in one of New York City’s most beloved industries. From hard-to-get reservations to rising labor costs, health inspections, outdoor dining rules, liquor licenses, and the future of nightli...

Anthony Barrows , Executive Director of ⁠ Lift New York⁠ and longtime advocate for economic justice and systems reform, joins ⁠ Greg Morris ⁠ for a conversation about poverty, public systems, and the role community plays in helping families thrive. Drawing on his own experiences growing up in public housing in Boston, navigating foster care, and relying on social support systems as a young person,...

Brian Aquart —Vice President of Workforce & Community Education at Northwell Health, host of the Why I Left podcast , and founder of Storyline by Kingswood —joins Greg Morris for a conversation on leadership, resilience, and building clearer pathways into healthcare careers. From arriving in New York after the 2008 financial crisis and navigating early-career setbacks to leading workforce educ...

In this special mini episode, Greg Morris and Gary P. Jenkins take a moment to honor the life and legacy of Fred Shack, the longtime CEO of Urban Pathways and a tireless advocate for New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. Fred’s impact on the city—and on the people and colleagues who worked alongside him—was profound. Known for his unwavering commitment, sharp insight, and deep compassion, he help...

Gary P. Jenkins —CEO of Urban Pathways and former NYC Department of Social Services Commissioner—joins Greg Morris for a conversation on leadership, resilience, and building systems that actually work for New Yorkers. From growing up in Fort Greene as the youngest of eight, to navigating early setbacks in college and rising through every level of city government, Jenkins shares the experiences tha...

In Part Two of this two-part conversation, ⁠ Aldrin Bonilla⁠ , Executive Vice President of the ⁠ Fund for the City of New York ⁠, joins ⁠Greg Morris⁠ to unpack the findings behind the Fund’s latest “ Overlooked and Undercounted” True Cost of Living brief and why it demands urgent attention. 46% of working-age New York City households don’t earn enough to meet the true cost of living. This episode...

Christine Quinn—President and CEO of Women In Need (WIN), former New York City Council Speaker, and one of the city’s most passionate advocates—joins Greg Morris for a conversation on leadership, housing, and what it takes to make change stick in New York City. From her early days organizing and cold-calling her way into the room, to breaking barriers as the first woman and first openly gay Speake...

Aldrin Bonilla , Executive Vice President of the Fund for the City of New York , joins Greg Morris for a conversation on public service, data, and what it takes to build stronger communities in New York City. In this first part of a two-part episode, Aldrin reflects on his journey growing up in Washington Heights and the experiences that shaped his commitment to equity, opportunity, and economic m...

Randy Peers , President & CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce , joins Greg Morris for a candid and wide-ranging conversation on what it really takes to build a stronger, more inclusive economy in New York City. From his early days in workforce development to leading one of the city’s most influential business organizations, Randy reflects on the experiences that shaped his leadership and w...

In this episode, Greg Morris sits down with Jeffrey Ginsburg , President & CEO of Volunteers of America–Greater New York , to explore the systems driving the city’s housing crisis, and what it will take to fix them. Drawing on his experience in East Harlem and now leading one of the city’s largest human services organizations, Jeff shares how housing instability, education, and economic opport...

What happens after college graduation, and why are so many degree-holders still struggling to find their footing? In this episode, Greg Morris sits down with Kalani Leifer , Founder and CEO of COOP Careers , to unpack the growing crisis of underemployment among college graduates. Drawing from his early experience as a high school teacher in the Bronx, Kalani shares how a promise he made to his stu...

Greg Morris sits down with Randy Moore , President at CD&R Foundation , for a conversation about leadership, equity, and the role philanthropy can play in expanding economic opportunity. Moore reflects on his journey from teaching in Miami classrooms to working across the country in workforce development, education, and social impact. Along the way, he shares how those early experiences, worki...

Greg Morris sits down with Chris Watler , Co-Chair of the New York City Employment and Training Coalition Board and Executive Vice President of the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), for a wide-ranging conversation about what it takes to build a safer, fairer New York—especially for New Yorkers returning from incarceration. Watler traces his path from growing up in Crown Heights to nationa...

Greg Morris sits down with Scott French , Administrator of the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA), for a conversation about protecting New York City’s safety net at a critical moment. French shares his journey from nonprofit leadership to overseeing an agency that serves more than three million New Yorkers each year. The discussion focuses on the return of expanded federal SNAP wor...

This week on the NYC Workforce Drop, Greg Morris welcomes New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin for a dynamic conversation on affordability, workforce development, and the city’s economic future. Speaker Menin outlines her vision for a more proactive City Council — from advancing bold affordable housing strategies using public assets like libraries and vacant land, to reforming a broken procur...

In this NYC Workforce Drop mini episode, Greg Morris talks with Jeff Brault , Vice President of Global Public Affairs at Hornblower Group , about how NYC Ferry invests in training, retention, and long-term career growth for its workforce. Jeff breaks down what deckhand training actually includes, from customer service and ADA accessibility to safety, emergency response, and hands-on learning on ac...

Welcome aboard the NYC Workforce Drop as NYC Employment and Training Coalition CEO Greg Morris sits down with Jeff Brault , Vice President of Global Public Affairs at Hornblower Group , for a conversation about the “blue highway” and why water transit is more than just a scenic commute. Recorded at Manhattan Neighborhood Network, Greg and Jeff dig into what makes NYC Ferry feel like the “People’s...

This episode explores what it means to build a “for-community-benefit” organization for older adults, and what it takes to lead through the intersecting realities of aging, workforce shortages, and persistent ageism in New York City. Greg is joined by Dr. Jeffrey Farber , President and CEO of The New Jewish Home , and his journey from geriatric medicine and academic training to executive leadershi...

What does it really take to build pathways to economic security, especially in moments of uncertainty? In this mini episode, NYCETC CEO Greg Morris sits down with first-time guest host Courtney Granger for a conversation about what’s working, what isn’t, and why the way we talk about “workforce development” may need a serious rebrand. Drawing on her experience across New York City’s education, wor...